ITALIAN-based Irish Olympian Anna Merveldt’s good run of international form continued with a Freestyle to Music win at three-star show in Ornago, Italy, last Sunday. Merveldt and the 13-year-old Lusitano stallion Esporim, owned by Mario Greco and Giovanna Mazza, scored 73.550% for first place, the best of four competitors in the class. The pair placed second in the Grand Prix class on Friday scoring 66.457%.

Reflecting on another good outing in 2023, Merveldt commented: “I am delighted with the win. Unfortunately, Esporim’s stabling arrangements meant he was somewhat distracted by a mare in season earlier in the show! But he calmed down today, started to focus and was really listening to me.

“The choreography of my new Freestyle to Music floor plan includes the sequencing of advanced dressage movements at a high degree of technical difficulty. I am really pleased that FEI level four/five-star judge Leif Toernblad from Denmark (president of the international ground jury at C) awarded me a score of 75.250%, this is very encouraging as we look forward to the rest of the season.

“I head home to Ireland for a family wedding and then it is straight back to Italy, I plan to compete Esporim at the four-star show in Wiesbaden, Germany, at the end of the month.”

Hickstead

At the three-star international show in Hickstead, Great Britain, Ireland’s Carolyn Mellor placed eighth in the Freestyle to Music with 12-year-old KWPN gelding VSH Gouverneur M on a 68.745% total.

Co Offaly native Maeve Deverell scored 68.449% with Annaharvey Dunowen for third place in FEI children on horses individual competition. Irish pony rider Lilly Larkin and Blokland’s Hoeve’s Amor scored 67.883% for fifth place in the FEI pony individual class.

There were two junior Irish international riders competing in Hickstead. Ellen McDonald and Donna Karen placed seventh in the FEI junior team test class on 63.889%. Cillian Curran placed equal seventh, scoring 66.471% with Dancing Espri, in the FEI junior individual test class.